Mid of April News - Hiatus Update, Season 10 #18 Out Now & Latest from Social Media

1. HIATUS UPDATE - END OF SEASON 10

In a Tumblr post, Pat Shand broke down how the rest of the season will be structured and released:

Pat Shand:

• Okay, I think this will make some people happy and some people sad and/or pissed off. But I’ll break it down for you. I took the long drive down to the Zenescope office yesterday to talk about Charmed (among other things) so I could get you all a full answer on the status of Season Ten. Charmed: Season Ten is going to end at issue #20. That, however, doesn’t mean that we’re losing the content of issues #21 or #22, and it doesn’t mean that the series is going to be incomplete. A while back, after the script for #18 was complete, I had to stop production on the series because of the sudden hiatus. Issues #19 and #20 (and, then #21 and #22) were plotted but not written. Yesterday, at the office, I was told to finish the series at issue #20. Because I want to get as much out of this season as possible, and because I want you all to get as much out of this season as possible, I asked for more. I knew I wouldn’t another issue, but I was hoping that I could get more pages in #20. And my request was granted. So here is the shape of the rest of the season:
  CHARMED: SEASON TEN #18
  Tribunal and Tribulations
  This is unaffected by the hiatus and will come out next Wednesday. For the first time since probably the first issue, I was able to get my copy from the office yesterday. It looks terrific.
  CHARMED: SEASON TEN #19
  Something Old, Something Prue
  This is the first affected by the delay, but it won’t be too bad. I’m scripting now (right after I finish this post – I TOLD YOU I’d tell you all as soon as I knew!) and the plan is to get Elisa and Valentina right back on it. This will be a regular sized issue at $3.99. It will be released in June – so the hiatus is just bumping this one a month.
  CHARMED: SEASON TEN #20
  The Reason
  This will be a $4.99 oversized issue. It will be released the first week of August. The way it shakes out is that, starting with #18, we’re basically getting an issue every other month until the series wraps. The only reason we couldn’t get this out in July is because of Diamond Solicits – with Charmed #19, which was solicited for May, putting it out a month late doesn’t impact pre-orders and we can skirt by without having to resolicit that issue, which would be a nightmare and would make you guys have to wait longer, which I don’t want. With Charmed #20, however, since Zenescope had to put out their July Diamond solicitations before the hiatus issue was resolved, the issue has to be solicited in the next available month – hence, August. This also gives us time to accommodate Elisa and Valentina for the longer length of the issue. It’s not a true double issue like Robyn Hood did where it was 42 pages at double the price, but it’s enough extra pages that I got to end the series the exact same way I planned from jump.
  Now, I’m anticipating questions here:
  Does this change the story you set out to tell?
  Not really, no. I condensed a few scenes and switched a few locations to streamline the climax. Essentially, #19 - 22 were going to be one long and grueling climax. Don’t get me wrong, there was a LOT of character exploration, but the reason it was a quick fix for me to change that outline into two issues rather than four is because of the nature of the story. You’ll see once it all shakes out, and probably actually after you read #18. There was also more of the characters getting split up in the original outline. Now… well, you’ll see.
  How will this change the trade paperbacks?
  First off, Zenescope is back to printing trades, I was told. I proofed their trade for Van Helsing vs. Dracula, which is printing this week, and I’m seeing the Charmed: Season Ten trades back on the schedule. Obviously, the prospective Volume Four would now have issues #18 - 20, which isn’t fair for the price they have to charge, so I pitched this change and it was approved:
  Charmed: Season Ten Volume Two will have #7 - 12, just as it was solicited.
  Charmed: Season Ten Volume Three will be a big fat book with #13 - 20, and that will be re-solicited.
  Does this impact the possibility of a Season Eleven?
  Nope. Not in the slightest way. The truth is, Season Eleven was never going to happen at Zenescope. It’s just not feasible. However, it’s possible that it would happen elsewhere and, if that does go down, CBS and I have already expressed interest in continuing to work with each other there. I have literally no news, and this is the kind of thing that takes time. But Charmed fans have been made to wait before. More than once. We’re a resilient sort, huh?
  And that’s just about all I’ve got. I’m sure there will be more questions. I’m sure there will be nice messages, and probably also a lot of vitriol. But hey – this is the situation I was given, and I’m gonna make it work. I hope you all like how I end the season. I’m already excited for what’s next. X

2. OUT NOW - CHARMED SEASON 10 #18

Charmed Season 10 #18 is available now:

TRIBUNAL AND TRIBULATIONS

While the Charmed Ones are scrambling to figure out an answer to their new problem, Prue has a dramatic meeting with the Tribunal regarding an incident with Tyler. The thing masquerading as Knox makes his intentions regarding the Advent of the Old Ones clear, leaving an old ally of the Charmed Ones wondering what he can do to help them in the eleventh hour.

Pat Shand:

• CHARMED: SEASON TEN #18 is out today. This issue is titled “Tribunal and Tribulations.” Two to go… #NCBD

The discussion/spoilers page is open.

3. LATEST FROM SOCIAL MEDIA

Anonymous asked: You're a great writer and a very nice person. Thanks for what you're doing for us Charmed fans! I totally trust you. I have a question. If CBS gives the ok for Season 11, it will be in comic form (on another comic campaign) or in novel form?

Pat Shand: Hi! Thank you very much. You’re super nice yourself! And I’m not sure about the answer to be honest, but I will say that when I refer to “Season Eleven” here, I’m talking about the possibility of more Charmed comics. With the novels, I wouldn’t want to tell a “season” type story, because I think it’s important for those to stand alone as their own entities. That said, I have only written two of the novels for Joe Books/HarperCollins and I’m not sure if there is a demand for more. With those, I’m not involved in editorial, so I just wait for them to tell me that it’s time for the next novel and then I go write! X

Anonymous asked: Since season 10 has to be condensed... and you said there was a ton of character development and exploration- is that taking a hit too and there will be less or is that untouched and staying the same

Pat: I wouldn’t say untouched but it’s basically the same. The structural difference is that characters were going to spread out for a longer time. They get to their final location with less back-and-forth now. All of the major character beats are still there. X

Anonymous asked: Hi Pat! I loved Charmed: Season Ten #18.. Your plan for this final arc was surely GREAT! I hope that it will be awesome even with 2 issue less. I have some questions. SPOILER 1) Are Prue and Heremus melted in a new being? 2) Amelia seems very interesting. I know that she's a novel character but we'll learn something about her first interaction with Charmed Ones? 3) We'll see SPOILER Andy again, or from this issue we'll listen him just thought Amelia's voice?